1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to foot-operated parking brake lever assemblies and more specifically to the provision of novel means for avoiding accidental release of the parking brake setting position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In FIG. 1, a typical prior art foot-operated parking brake lever assembly for mounting in an automotive vehicle is shown. The parking brake lever assembly is adapted to be positioned adjacent the brake pedal on the side thereof opposite the accelerator pedal.
Referring to FIG. 1, a ratchet plate or support 1 is fixedly attached to a suitable portion of the vehicle body. A series of ratchet teeth 2 is formed in a peripheral portion of the support 1. A brake lever 3 is pivotally mounted on the support 1 by means of a pivot pin 4 and is biased by a spring 5 in the counterclockwise direction in the drawing. A brake setting cable 6 is attached to the upper end of the brake lever 3. A pedal 7 is pivotally mounted on the lower end of the brake lever 3 by means of a pivot pin 8, and is biased by a spring 9 in the clockwise direction in the drawing, i.e., toward the rest position thereof. A pawl 10 is pivotally mounted on the brake lever 3 by means of a pivot pin 12 and is formed with a finger 11 for selectively engaging the ratchet teeth 2. The pawl 10 is urged by a spring 13 in the counterclockwise direction in the drawing, i.e., in the direction to cause the finger 11 to engage the ratchet teeth 2. A release rod 14 interconnects the pawl 10 and the pedal 7.
With the structure described above, the prior art foot-operated parking lever assembly operates as follows.
For applying the parking brake, the driver depresses the lower end portion of the pedal 7, causing the brake lever 3 to pivot about the pivot pin 4 in the clockwise direction in the drawing. The brake setting cable 6 is thus pulled in the brake applying direction, from left to right in the drawing. With increasing depression of the pedal 7, the parking brake is increasingly applied. The pawl finger 11 moves along the ratchet teeth 2 as the brake lever 3 pivots. When the parking brake is fully applied, the driver releases the force applied to the pedal and the pawl finger 11 engages one of the ratchet teeth 2, retaining the brake lever 3 in a selected brake setting position against the action of the spring 5, tending to return the lever to a brake releasing position. The parking brake is thus kept applied.
For releasing the parking brake, the driver depresses the upper edge portion of the pedal, causing it to pivot about the pivot pin 8 in the counterclockwise direction. The release rod 14 is thus pulled in the downward direction, causing the pawl 10 to pivot about the pivot pin 12 in the clockwise direction in the drawing. The pawl finger 11 is disengaged from the ratchet teeth 2, permitting the brake lever 3 to return to the brake releasing position under the bias of the spring 5 and the traction of the brake setting cable 6. Release of the parking brake is thus effected.
With the prior art structure, since easy release of the engagement of the pawl 10 and the ratchet teeth 2 is accomplished by rotating the pedal 7, accidental release of the parking brake, as by inadvertent bumping against the pedal 7 by a small child or even an animal left in the vehicle, may easily result in a serious accident and damage to the vehicle and other property, as well as danger to human life.